Let's harness the power of story to prevent suicide. Connect. Contribute. Share.

To know Tonya Anderson is to know a life of joyous expression. As the founder of ‘An Exquisite Life,’ Tonya is a passionate suicide prevention advocate and counselor who specializes in healing from trauma. A recent graduate of Lock Haven University with a Masters in Science, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Tonya is a therapist with Diakon […]

This week, America was inspired by the images of Earl Granville, a wounded Army veteran turned adaptive athlete, uplifting a woman (his guide) and carrying her across the finish line at the Boston Marathon. Earl competes in the memory of his brother, Joe, and his comrades lost in battle. He is the embodiment of the strength, resilience and compassion. His story will move you. Please watch and share.

There is a movement happening in America. A movement to remove shame and stigma. A movement to heal invisible wounds. A movement to reach others and let them know, “It’s okay to ask for help.” Earl Granville is an adaptive athlete who has a story and a message to share. This movement is his personal […]

The trajectory of an object in motion, such as a bullet, is slightly curved. The Vietnamese sniper that took aim at Jim Street in 1969 must have known this fact. His first round, aimed a few degrees higher than sightline, was pulled down by gravity as it travelled forward until its curved path found its mark downrange — Lieutenant Commander Smith, the beloved company commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. Suicide Charley.

Jim Street, an eighteen year old grunt who dropped out of high school to join the Marine Corps, zeroed in on the deep black hole of his commanding officer’s neck as it began gushing blood like a geyser.

“Smith’s hit!”

As if in unison with LCDR Smith’s lanky body, Jim’s cloak of invincibility fell to the ground, despite being flanked by the steel armor of four tanks and six amtracs. Now in the sniper’s sight, Jim has just formed the words that echoed along the tree line.

“Save the f’ing ammunition, we’re gonna get that sonuvabitch!”

Then the second shot rang out.

This is a story about how the trajectory of a bullet changed the path of a man’s life.

Last year, Power of One launched our first fundraising campaign. And with it, came our first gift of $10.00. It may not seem like much, but it meant the world to us because it was given with love. You see, our first donor has many mouths to feed, yet she wanted to kickstart the spirit of giving because she knew that all contributions — large and small — help us tell stories that help others.

To that first donor who gave — THANK YOU! To all of YOU who gave this past year — THANK YOU!

Thanks to you, Power of One was able to capture amazing stories, publish essays and op-eds, host preview and discussion programs, and connect with thousands of people, many of whom were buoyed by the stories of hope and healing.

And I learned. I learned about warriorship. I learned about bonds that never break. I learned about bravery being a by-product of trying to not get your friends killed. I learned that when a friend dies, something dies inside. I learned that when it’s time to pick up the pieces after battle, a switch turns on and a mantra takes over: “It’s just a thing. Ain’t nothing but a thing.” And I learned about time. What it does, how it works, its absence in the midst of a firefight and its vacuum where nothing comes back out the same, if it ever comes back out at all.